Power, Values, Security

This is a contemplative space full of questions and prompts for reflection - It's main objective is to empower others by letting you fill in the blanks for yourself. -This work is also a Collaborative work in progress; (take and make your own, add, revise, reword, fit it to your needs and pass it forward. if anyone wants to help me make these perspectives more accessible, I am open and asking for help with that. )

Power dynamics: Power to fulfill a want/ meet a need what is want vs need? access to necessities (water, etc.) – need - (needs inventory) how need is accessed – want (?) agreements of exchange: providing value exchanging value acknowledging value of both sides of the equation the way values are viewed and communicated is this a dynamic where I can empower you to access the want/need without me? - what are my incentives to maintain dependence/ power over - what are my incentives to release/ share/ distribute power with dependence power examples: monogamy (dependence/needs consolidated onto single person) abstracted value in form of money (dependence on the abstracted vehicle form of value and the maker, provider, holder of that form of it.) centralized government conventional nuclear family structure - what are my incentives to interrupt/ reshape power dynamic - what are my incentives to acquiesce/ resign to power dynamic - how invested am I into the current structure of power - how much potential do feel I have for gaining a comfortable amount of power in the current structure (if I choose to submit, how am I benefitting from doing so, and how do I defend, lend my energy to maintain status quo power structure) - what are tools/strategies to maintain power (and ethics of) - how might it look the share/distribute power (and what is process of transition?) - what are my tools/ strategies to appeal/ protest for shift of dynamic - what are ways to engage/ initiate conversations LEARNED HELPLESSNESS SELF-REGULARITY TO ACCESS/ IMPACT PERSONAL POWER person with power: what security need is this fulfilling for me? where was this security need formed, informed? what does it feel like to have this power? how do I cope with the responsibility? what is my awareness of my impact with this power? am I incentivized towards ignorance of certain aspects? what is the impact? what am I valuing in the situation? what am I able to access by being in this position? Feelings/ needs? what is my relationship between valuing the power itself and the other’s experience I have power over (and the impact on the way that person is able to show up in relationship to me) am I aware of this? How much? does the power dynamic feel punishing to the person? does their responsive behavior towards me feel ‘punishing’? is it their ‘fault’ or is it reasonable based on the structure of the power dynamic for these feelings to be generated? person seeking personal empowerment: empower yourself any way you can that’s relevant, and relieves tension/pressure from the current unavoidable dynamic. transition from person without power to person with power: feeling that my struggles make it worth it, mean i earned now maintaining, holding, hoarding the power I do have. proper maintenance of power: to sustain health of relationships. to non necessarily be reliant upon others power to provide. to remain a valued contributor to collective experience to grow personally within reason relatively to others (?) growing together is more fulfilling than growing beyond reason independently and then feeling alone and isolated, and then having to defend/ protect it. Values Physical Well-Being Autonomy Connection Honesty Meaning Play Peace value eating food value eating delicious food value eating healthy delicious food value eating healthy delicious local food value eating healthy delicious local sustainable food value eating status signaling food because makes me look valuable value eating food that is an authentic representation of my values value wearing clothing value wearing comfortable clothing value wearing comfortable and stylish clothing value wearing comfortable, stylish, local, sustainable, natural dyed clothing value wearing status signaling clothing because makes me look valuable value wearing clothing that is an authentic representation of my values value shelter from the weather value protected shelter from the weather value comfortable protected shelter from the weather value comfortable and private protected shelter from the weather value comfortable, private, and stylish protected shelter from the weather value comfortable private stylish protected shelter from the weather made from sustainable materials located in community of complementary values value shelter that signals status and makes me look valuable value shelter that is an authentic representation of my values Trauma informed values: (Trauma as in experiences strong enough to fundamentally impact our value system) If I have been hurt by person close to me, or by society, or life itself, and my trauma response is to recoil, isolate, self-protect/defend, and I must now procure resources for myself rather than with the support of others, and my hurt makes me less empathic or sensitive to the needs of others. value to avoid pain the power to avoid pain value security value isolation / insulation value convenience value control value power-over, exploitation value appearing perfect (un-attackable) value controlling the narrative, perspective, beliefs about me *these values incentivize behavior that passes along trauma cycle

Sources of ‘security’ money family community relationships self plants animals nature earth

those in positions of various power levels within a given structure

core human infant values: value community value cooperation value sharing of efforts and rewards value power-with value feeling socially secure value vulnerability, openness, authenticity, honesty, relaxation value the health and well-being of all as a part of one’s own process of re-harmonizing values from trauma to human: establishing and connecting to base level of self worth personal place in the world at larger personal sense of purpose harmonizing personal power with communal power: empowerment equity honest self-awareness (supported) compassionate accountability (accountability to best version of self) considerate communication courageous acceptance resilient receptivity to learn/grow from pain/challenge ecologically sustainable well-being harmonized autonomy and interdependence Power of people with shared essential values joining power together epiphenomenon power. Power of words – to shape perspective and shape experience and shape behaviors my incentives for writing and sharing this (that I’m aware of) : to understand for myself the structures I find myself in to empower and inform the parts of myself that feel powerless to empower and connect with others in similar positions to empower those in power to thoughtfully question their positions and it’s dynamics to offer my value of critical thought based on my experiences and to be valued for it, to heighten my chances of being socially chosen to improve my life and the lives of others now and in the future to give meaning and value to painful experiences of the past to heal to feel more secure in my life in this world valuing what we do not have – what we feel scarce in. undervaluing what we naturally have in abundance. difficult to understand the value of what we have to others running from – ego fear poverty hunger homelessness illness scarcity running towards – soul love that need is love and love is need – oh marie the power of love a friend in need’s a friend indeed also the power to keep one from meeting a need or want the person with the greater –need- could should have the greater power to meet their need, in harmony with the extent that it positively/negatively impacts others. communistic capitalism (?) the power to perceive experience beneficially rather than necessarily the power to control what actually happens. the security of the astrological perspective – seeing things from above within a cohesive order that it fits inside of. astrology as powerful play the point at which the consolidation of power undermines itself - power to meet a need acquire/extract a need from a source when extraction depletes the source of need being met or when the friction of the process breaks the tool used to extract it exploitation, sustainability. (return of power) to (feed power source) to (sustain power.) it is in power’s self-interest to create a sustainable system value and power of a self-destructive system- -when values are based on pain experiences (trauma) that penetrate to become a core belief, to fear/hate one’s own experiences is to hate oneself (? Is it?) and in hating oneself, the power one desires is how to avoid the experience of the self (via self-destruction while remaining relatively ignorant/in denial of destroying the self at the same time.) the act of talking about power dynamics itself is threatening to the security of the power dynamic whoever is talking about it is in acts of desperation security needs of each sign Aries- autonomy – being needed to overcome a challenge, being active Taurus – food, resources, physical body, sensuality, relaxation Gemini – information, stimulating relations, capacity to communicate, take-in and share perspectives Cancer – food, home, to be needed Leo- an audience they feel trust with, to see the best version of self reflected in the eyes of others Virgo- order, assessment, to provide valued service Libra – healthy relationship, beauty, Scorpio – complete trust, sexual expression, facing/knowing/understanding the depths, regeneration Sagittarius – mobility, seeing the bigger picture from above of how it all fits together, being able to share a message Capricorn – efficient system, structure, hierarchy Aquarius – social security, feeling both that personal uniqueness is valued among one’s community, and a sense of belonging. Pisces – surrender, feeling a sense of unity and oneness.